EU Digital Wallet: age verification for under-18 users « Euro Weekly News

Adult online sites to face new restrictions for under-18’s

Photo of a child looking at screen

New legislation across Europe will aim to control age verification for users under-18 Credit: Shutterstock:fizkes

The European Union (EU) faces the challenge of implementing new legislation to safeguard children from harmful online material while balancing these protections with strict privacy laws.

With the growing predicament of younger generations having access to obscene or unsuitable internet content, EU countries are keen to take measures so that user ages can be verified before accessing certain pages. The problem is: How?

EU Digital Wallet to be launched by 2026 to verify user age for adult websites

Changes to legislation come at a time when protecting minors is “a top priority” for the European Commission and new measures are expected to come into force by 2026 including a wallet system which verifies user identification. Until now, EU countries have had free reign on controlling their own regulations on age verification and there are no current established EU standards to go by. However, under new measures, Spain will be introducing a new control system to be able to access adult websites known as the Cartera Digital Beta Wallet. This will be an application which records national ID credentials in order to prove the user’s age as being 18 years or above. The control is highly respectful of data privacy. Right now, it will only be applied to websites based in Spain but it is hoped that this will expand to social media platforms showing adult content outside of Spain.

France, Italy and Spain among EU countries to issue new controls on adult online content

This month, France has issued new guidelines on online age verification and it has also banned several porn sites. Like in other countries, existing control systems across French websites include a self-declaration similar to: “Yes, I am over 18” or “No, I am under 18.” Discussions are  underway to seek improvements to this system and the new guidelines already include enhanced detection of adult websites using parental control software and artificial intelligence to determine user age through facial recognition. Platforms currently allowed to use credit card information for age verification have until April 2025 to comply with the new guidelines and for gambling websites, users are required to submit evidence of proof of residence and ID.

In Italy, ‘Caivano Decree’ will be activated from 2025, which will similarly require Italians to verify their age using national digital identity procedures when accessing gambling or pornography websites.   Platforms which rely on credit card information for proof of age have until April 2025 to comply to the new guidelines. In Ireland, the Protection of Children (Online Age Verification) Bill 2024 is currently being reviewed in Parliament but if approved, will also make submission of documentation obligatory for accessing adult websites. Some websites are already taking measures very seriously. OnlyFans, a social media site featuring erotic content for subscription-only users already demands upto nine pieces of identification before content can be posted or accessed.

At European Commission level, various regulations and acts are awaiting approval or to be activated over coming months or years and with this, comes discussion over how to regulate adult online content and protect minors. In April 2024, the Louvain Declaration obliged EU leaders to seek solutions for identity and age verification strategies for minors. Plans for an EU Digital Wallet aim to protect children and adolescents across Europe through a homogenised system. An EU official said: “To have an appropriate age verification system in Europe that is harmonised, and to avoid 27 different systems in the member states, the future solution should revolve around the EU Digital Wallet.”

EU Digital Wallet will not be mandatory but will quickly become widespread

The wallet app, hoping to be successfully launched for the public in Spain, and by the European Union by 2026 works by securely storing ID, along with driving licences, credit cards and similar identification documents so that users can prove their age to access adult websites. Despite not being mandatory, it is hoped that it will become a ubiquitous tool. The EU official confirmed: “It will not be mandatory, but like the COVID Certificate, it will likely become a standard.” He added: “Very Large Online Platforms (VLOPs) are required to accept the use of eID upon request of the user, for example to prove their age. Websites with age restricted content that are not VLOPs could be encouraged to accept the use of the European Digital Identity Wallet.” Mid-term solutions before the official release of the EU Digital Wallet are already underway.

One in seven minors watches pornography on a regular basis in Spain

Across Spain, data collected by charity, Save the Children, reveals that seven out of every ten children watches pornography on a regular basis, with many having being exposed to it for the first time aged between 9 to 11 years of age. Shocking statistics reveal that in five years, the number of attacks of a sexually aggressive nature have doubled among minors and that society is seeing an increase in sexual perversion in youngsters, as well as addiction to porn and emotional and sexual problems.

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Written by

Johanna Gardener

Originally from Manchester, UK and with a degree in English with Modern Foreign Languages, she has been a permanent resident in Spain for the past 12 years. Many of these years, she has spent working as a secondary school teacher, as well as in journalism, editing and marketing. She currently lives in the historic centre of Malaga, where she enjoys writing, walking and animals.

Comments


    • Hans Berger

      01 November 2024 • 04:23

      This has nothing to do with protecting under 18s. If the EU was concerned about young people the first law should be no sex changes or gender identity changes until you are 21 years old or better still never. But the EU cannot stop trying to control peoples lives. It is wrong and pointless as well. Young people know the internet like the back of their hand and they will circumvent any law the EU try to implement regarding restrictions. But the people of Europe allow these unelected people to make laws that are then ´´rubber stamped´´ by the fake EU parliament. We have to wake up, we are quickly moving into a communist state where we will have no freedom.

      Reply
    • Michael Worth

      01 November 2024 • 04:29

      However, under new measures, Spain will be introducing a new control system to be able to access adult websites known as the Cartera Digital Beta Wallet. This will be an application which records national ID credentials in order to prove the user’s age as being 18 years or above. The control is highly respectful of data privacy. Right now, it will only be applied to websites based in Spain but it is hoped that this will expand to social media platforms showing adult. HA HA HA, Spain will be highly respectful of data privacy, that has to be a joke. Governments are useless at Data Protection. This is a totally unnecessary law. It is all about control. I would never trust or believe any government when they talk about Data protection. And it is an infringement on my privacy.

      Reply

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